Vania



Nov. 17, 1931.

J. vWILHELM WATER HEATER Filed Nov. 5, 1928' Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 17, 1931.

J. lWILHELM WATER HEATER Filed Nov. 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES revelar Feiten JOHN WILHELM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGOR OF ONE-THIRD TO MAX ALBERT .AND ONE-THIRD TO HARRY BLANK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA.

WATER HEATER Application led November 5, 1928. Serial No. 317,189.

My invention relates to water heaters adapted to be interposed in the plumbing sys tems of dwellings and the like, whereby the l water may be heated in its passage vto the The principal object of my invention is toV provide an improved form of automatic water heater of the type in which the. water is heated by means of gaseous fuel while said water is passing through the heater.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in a water heater of the kind aforesaid, improved means for controlling the'supply of gaseous fuel.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in a water heater of the kind aforesaid, an improved form of heating coil.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for applying the flame to the coil whereby the utmost eiiiciency will be obtained.

A further object of my invention is to provide certain improved details of construction, as will hereinafter appear.

The nature and characteristic features ofmy invention will be more readily understood from the following description, takenA in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure l is a vertical, central, sectional view of a water heater embodying the main features of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection thereof, taken approximately on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. I;V

Fig.y 4 is a vertical central section, taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 ,i and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a device used in the upper portion of the structure for distributing the products ofcombustion from the upper end o f the burner. Y

Referring to the drawings, in thenparticu.- lar embodiment of my invention therein shown,10 is abase; member i-nwhich is mounted a valve housing 11. The valve housing 11 is providedwith an internal gas chamber 12, in which a rocker arm13 is mounted.

The housing 11 is provided witha passage-V way 14, extending upwardly from the gas chamber 12 to the burner proper. A nippleV l5 is threaded inthe passageway 14, the lower end of said nipple forming a valve seat.

Ojne end of the rocker arm 13 carries a valve disk' 16, which Vis adapted to be seated against the lower end of thenipple 15 when the device is in the inoperative condition, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The rocker arm 13 is pivoted by means of a pin 17, located near one end of the housing l1. The rocker arm 13 is also provided with a lug 13, extending downwardly below the airis ofthe pin 17.

by a pin 2O carried at the upper end of a` spring 21.

The Vlower end of the spring 21 bears against an adjusting plug 22. 'lhe adjusting plug 22 is threaded in the lower end of a cylinder 23, extending downwardly from the end portion of the housing l1. The fore- The lug 18 is provvided with anotch-19, adapted to be engaged going arrangement, is provided whereby the Y valve disk 16, carried at the free end of the rocker arm 13, will be impelled to the closed position, or to the open position, as the case maybe, when the rocker arm 13 is actuated ,in the manner tobe hereinafter described.

eousffuel` is supplied to the Vgas chamber 15.)..y t

At the other end of the valvehousing 11 there is secu-red a piston housing 30. Mou-nted in the interior of the piston housing 30V is aJ sleeve 31, inwhich a piston 32 is slidably mounted. The sleeve 31 is smaller in external diameter than the interior of the piston housing 30, so as to provide an annular chamber 33.

The sleeve '31 is supported in the piston housing 30 by means of a threaded nipple 34, mounted in thelower end of the piston housing 30. rlhewater supply pipe 35 is connected to anipple 36, which is threadedintov the nipple 34.`

The varrangement above described issuch that the incoming water will impinge against the lower surface of the piston 32 and force said piston upwardly within the sleeve 31 whenever the water is flowing through the device.

The sleeve 31 is provided with outlet ports 37, through which the water passes to the annular chamber 33 when the piston is raised to its uppermost position by the incoming water. The upper end of the piston housing is closed by means of a plug 38.

The piston housing 30 is secured to the valve housing 11 in any suitable manner. A rocking lever 39 is pivotally mounted so that one portion 40 of the same extends into the gas chamber 12 of the valve housing l1, and the other portion 41 thereof extends into the piston housing 30, the arrangement being such that the free end thereof will be encountered by the piston 32 when the same is raised to its uppermost position.

A. flexible rubberl gasket 42 extends across where the piston housing 30 is connected to the valve housing 11, the portion 41 of the rocking lever 39 which extends therethrough having the flexible gasket 42 secured thereto by a washer 43 and a nut 44, whereby the water will be prevented from entering the gas chamber 12, and at the same time the rocking lever 39 will be permitted the requisite amount of motion.

The free end 45 of the rocking lever 39 is bifurcated, and in this bifurcated portion there extends a lug 46 at the free end of the rocker arm 13.

It should here be noted that the recess provided in the bifurcated portion of the rocking lever 39 is appreciably greater than the thickness of the lug 46 at the end of the rocker arm 13, the arrangement being such that the rocking lever 39 may have a certain freedom of motion with respect to the end of the rocker arm 13, for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

The bifurcated portion of the rocking lever 39 has an extension 48, against which. the upper end of a spring 49 bears, which spring normally tends to raise the same.

Secured to the valve housing 11 is a burner tube 60, which is in communication with the gas chamber 12 of the valve housing 11. The lower end of the burner tube is provided with a member 61 which extends across the same, in which there are a plurality of apertures 62 for the passage of the gas. The side walls of the burner tube are provided with openings 63, for the admission of air to the burner tu e.

The burner tube 60 is provided with an external shoulder 64, which serves to support a member 65 having annular skirt portions 66 and 67, extending upwardly and downwardly, respectively. The lower skirt port-ion 67 serves to prevent drafts of air from interfering with the operation of the burner, and the upper skirt portion 66 serves to provide a means for collecting condensation water which may accumulate thereon. A pipe 68 may be connected thereto to drain off the water the saine accumulates.

There may also be provided a frusto-conical drip pan 70, which may be supported by the member 65 and which extends across the greater portion of the lower part of the coil structure, to be hereinafter described.

The burner tube 60 also supports a spider -frame 71, the rim of which in turn supports the enclosing housing 72 which surrounds the heating coils.

The upper end of the burner tube provided with a distributor device 75, com-v prising two plates 76 arranged at right angles to each other, and each having an offset portion 77 for the purpose of seating the device in the upper end of the tube.

Extending across the upper ends of the plates 76 is a disk 78, which serves to defleet the flame at the upper end of the burner tube, whereby the same will be more efficiently applied to the coils.

There are preferably provided two coils 79 and 80, concentrically arranged with respect to each other. The convolutions of the outer coil 79 are closer at the central portion of the coil than they are at the respective ends thereof.

By so shaping the convolutions of the coil 79, certain parts of the products of combustion from the burner will be permitted to escape from the interior of the coil to the space between the coil and the casing at the bottom portions thereof, while other parts of the products of combustion will be constrained to pass upwardly through the interior of the coil before being permitted to escape therefrom, this by reason of the closer spacing of the convolutions of the coil at the center portion thereof.

The tubing from which the inner coil 80 is made is preferably smaller than that of the outer coil, whereby thc major portion of the water passing through the coils will pass through the outer tube. ilse, the convolutions of the inner tube are preferably more widely spaced than those of the outer tube. By the foregoing arrangement, the heat from the burner will be efficiently utilized.

The lower ends of the respective coils are connected to a fitting 81. Suitable piping 82 extends from the piston housing 30 to the fitting 81.

The upper ends of the coils are connected to a fitting 83 which is carriel at the upper end of the outlet pipe 84. The outlet pipe 84 is connected by suitable fittings to the distribution pipe 85.

The lower end of the outlet pip,J 84 extends through the rim portion of the spider frame 71, and the same is held in position by means of a set screw 86. In like manner, a portion of the piping 82 which extends through the rim portion of the spider frame 71 is positioned by means of a set screw 87.

For the purpose of supporting the coils, the spider frame is provided with an upwardly extending lug 88, in which a bolt member 89 is mounted by means of nuts 90. rlhe lower end of each coil rests upon the inwardly projecting portion of the bolt 89.

Projecting from one side of the valve housing 11 is a tubular extension 91. Connected to said tubular extension is a pilot tube 9:2, which passes upwardly through the interior of the burner tube 60, terminating in an outwardly bent portion 93, to provide a pilot light at the top of the burner, whereby the burner will be ignited whenever the valve disk 16 is moved from its seat at the lower end of the nipple 15.

The operation of the device may now be explained. It will, or" course, be understood that the water inlet pipe is connected to a source of water supply, such as the cold water main oli' the plumbing system of the building in which the heater is used, while the outlet pipe extends to one or more hot water faucets (not shown).

lt will also be understood that when the laucet is closed, no water will be passing through the device, and consequently, the piston 32 will be permitted to fall to its lowermost position within the sleeve 31. lVhen, however', the faucet is opened, and the water begins to flow, the piston 32 will be raised, encountering the free end of the arm l1 of the rocking lever 39 and causing the same to be actuated. The piston will be raised Sulliciently to permit the water to pass through the outlet ports 37 in the sleeve 31, and will hen pass through the annular chamber 33 of the piston housing 30, thence through the piping 82 to the coils 7 9 and 80, and thence through the outlet pipe 84 to the discharge pipe 85. t will be noted that, as long as the water continues to flow through the apparatus, the piston will be held in its elevated position bythe force of the incoming water.

' When the piston encounters the free end of the arm 41 of the rocking lever 39 and thereby raises the same, the other or bifurcated end et the rocking lever 39 will be depressed, and through the engagement of that end of the rocking lever 39 with the rocker arm 13 said rockerV arm will be actuated until the notched projecting portion 18 thereof passes beyond the dead center, after which the spring actuated pin 20 will cause the same to be snapped, and the valve disk 16 carried by the rocker arm 13 will be moved to the fully open position, this action being permitted by reason et the recess at the en d of the bifureated end of the rocking lever being greater than the thickness of the projecting lug carried at the end of the rocker arm.

Whenthe valvedisk 16 is brought to the i open position, gas will bepermtted to flow throughthe burner.V tube 60,'mixing with the air which will bepermitted to enter through the openings63. VAfter themixture of gas and air passes upwardly through the burn-.

er tube 60, the same will beignited by the provided at .the upper end 93 ot upon the rocking lever 39"'will, through the engagement of the bifurcated portion thereof with the-end of `the rocker arm 13, cause said rocker arm to be actuated untilAA the lug 18 again passes beyondthe dead center, after which, by reason off the engagement of the springcontrolled pin 20, theV valve disk will be impelled to the closed position. Y

In' this manner, 'the gas valve will always be held either closed or fullyopen, so that the flame at the upper end of the burner will not strike baci; through the burner tube to the gas'orilices 62 at the lower end of the burner tube,'where the gas enters the same.

rPhe distributor member mounted at the upper endvof the burner tube will Vcause the flame to be directed properly around the lower ends of the coils, and, by reason of the peculiar arrangementof the convolutions of the coils, as hereinbefore described, the heat from the flame will be utilized in an eliieient manner, as the products-of combustion will be caused to pass back and forth between the various convolutions of the coils.

Having thus' described the nature' and characteristic features of my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a water heater, a rocker arm, a. valve memberl carried" by `said v rocherl arm and adapted to control the fuel supply, spring actuated meansfor alternatively impelling said rocker arm 'whereby the valve member will be held in the closed or fully open position, aflever adapted to actuate Vsaid rocker arm, the connection between said lever and rocker arm consist-ing o'l' a lugprojecting from Aone of said members and theother of said members having a recess of greater width thanthe thickness of said lug'iwhereby said members will 4have a limited range of movement with' respect to each other, and means for' Aop`erati-ng said lever actuated by the water passing' through the structure.

2. In a water heater, a lvalve housing, `a

ist4A ing said rocker arm, the other end of said lever extending into the piston housing, and

a piston mounted in said piston housing, said piston being adapted to be impelled by the 5 Water passing through said housing thereby to actuate said lever.

3. In a water heater, a valve housing, a

piston housing secured thereto, a rocker arm,

a valve member carried by said rocker arm n, and adapted to control the fuel supply,

spring actuated means for alternatively impelling said rocker arm whereby the valve member will be held in the closed or fully open position, a lever having one end engaging said rocker arm, the other end of said lever extending into the piston housing, a

piston mounted in said piston housing, said piston being adapted to be impelled by the water passing through said housing thereby 2U to actuate said lever, and a flexible member mounted between the piston housing and the valve housing, said lever passing through said flexible member.

4. In a water heater, a valve housing, a piston housing secured thereto, a rocker arm, a valve member carried by said rocker arm and adapted to control the fuel supply, spring actuated means for alternatively impelling said rocker arm whereby the valve member will be held in the closed or fully open position, a lever having one end engaging said rocker arm in such manner as to permit a limited range of movement with respect thereto, the other end of said lever extending into the piston housing, and a piston mounted in said piston housing, said piston being adapted to be impelled by the water passing through said housing thereby to actuate said lever. 5. In a water heater, a valve housing, a piston housing secured thereto, a rocker arm, a valve. member carried by said rocker arm and adapted to control the fuel supply, spring actuated means for alternatively im- .;r, peiling said rocker arm whereby the valve member will be held in the closed or fully open position, a lever having one end engaging said rocker arm in such manner as to permit a limited range of movement with respect thereto, the other end of said lever eX- tending into the piston housing, a piston mounted in said piston housing, said piston being adapted to be impelled by the water passing through said housing thereby to actuate said lever, and a fiexible member mounted between the piston housing and the valve housing, said lever passing through said iieXible member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JOHN WILHELM. 

